Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush, left, is stopped with the ball by San Francisco 49ers strong safety Donte Whitner, right, during the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Photo: Ben Margot, Associated Press

Miami Dolphins running back Reggie Bush, left, is stopped with the...

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Running back Frank Gore is on the NFC Pro Bowl team as a backup.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

Running back Frank Gore is on the NFC Pro Bowl team as a backup.

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Linebacker Aldon Smith, No. 99, is one of five San Francisco defensive players to be named to the starting unit.

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

Linebacker Aldon Smith, No. 99, is one of five San Francisco...

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San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith, center, sacks St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, left, for a 6-yard loss while Rams tackle Barry Richardson, right, tries to block Smith during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

Photo: Tom Gannam, Associated Press

San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Aldon Smith, center, sacks...

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San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Patrick Willis comes onto the field before the start of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in San Francisco, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012.

Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints is sacked by Justin Smith #94 of the San Francisco 49ers at The Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 25, 2012 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Photo: Chris Graythen, Getty Images

Drew Brees #9 of the New Orleans Saints is sacked by Justin Smith...

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San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati (77) and guard Jonathan Goodwin (59) before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in San Francisco, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011.

Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, ASSOCIATED PRESS

San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati (77) and guard Jonathan...

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San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley (74) argues a call with an official during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012. (Ben Margot / Associated Press)

San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley (74) argues a call...

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San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman (53) celebrates after a tackle against the Chicago Bears during the third quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Monday, Nov. 19, 2012.

Thirty-one regular season games later, Whitner and Goldson, by one measurement, have accomplished their goal: They are the best safety duo in the NFL.

For the second straight season, the 49ers had an NFL-high nine players named to the Pro Bowl. This season, that list included a franchise-record five defensive starters, including Goldson and Whitner, the first safeties from the same team to be named Pro Bowl starters since the 2005 Eagles sent Brian Dawkins and Michael Lewis to Honolulu.

"We got here together and we made up our mind that we were going to go out there and try to be two of the best safeties in the National Football League," Whitner said. "And we definitely want to be the No. 1 tandem."

Aldon Smith, Whitner, Iupati and Bowman are first-time Pro Bowl selections. Willis is a regular. The inside linebacker is the first player in franchise history to earn Pro Bowl honors in each of his first six seasons in the league.

San Francisco's seven Pro Bowl starters matches a franchise record set last year, when three of their starters were specialists in placekicker David Akers, punter Andy Lee and long snapper Brian Jennings.

Before this season, the 49ers had not had seven combined offensive and defensive starters. They had six in 1971.